Norway buys five new maritime patrol aircrafts

P-8A Poseidon.Photo: Boeing / NTB scanpix

On Wednesday the Norwegian Armed Forces signed  a contract with the US authorities for the acquisition of five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircrafts.

The costs will be around ten billion NOK. The aircrafts will land on Norwegian soil in 2022 and all aircraft will be in place by the end of the same year year.

– Besides the actual aircraft, the contract also include modern sensors, monitoring and support systems and new anti-submarine weapon. P-8A Poseidon can cover large extensive of the ocean in a short time and remain for prolonged periods in an area of operations, says Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide .

The planes can gather information, detect, identify, monitor and if necessary get targets under water.

– P-8A Poseidon is a formidable platform for monitoring our waters, and will provide both Norwegian and allied civil and military authorities with a sound basis for decisions, says Eriksen Søreide.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today